Northern California Engineering Contractors Association

Announcements

“OFF-THE-JOB SAFETY”

We do all we can to protect you on the job:  post safety signs, erect guards and barricades, issue protective equipment, and make work areas as safe as possible. But off-the- job safety is up to you.

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The Fire Triangle

Let’s talk about what makes a fire and what we can do to prevent one. Fire can be compared to a triangle. Three sides are necessary to make a triangle and three ingredients are necessary to cause a fire. These are heat, air, and fuel. If any one of these three sides is missing, there can be no fire.
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POWER LINE CONTACTS IN CONSTRUCTION

Each year, fifty-five construction workers are killed by electrocution from contact with overhead power lines. Over 90 percent of the contacts involved overhead distribution lines. These are the same lines that run in the alleys behind our houses and through our job sites.

There are distinct patterns to these fatalities. The most obvious is apathy. We all grew up around power lines. Since they are so common to us, they seem harmless. This serious mistake is fueled by two common misconceptions: the belief that some overhead lines don’t carry enough power to kill, and the belief that power lines are well-insulated. Both are dead wrong.

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Prevailing Wage Update

Prevailing Wage Update!  Several weeks ago, we held a workshop hosted by Diane Aqui of Smith Dollar on prevailing wage rules for trucking in our industry.  Since then, we have had several requests to clarify a few issues that were unclear since AB1851 was made the law January 1, 2023.  To get the update (which most people not ECA members would have to pay hundreds of dollars for the legal opinion, and Smith Dollar PC is making it accessible to our readers-THANK YOU!), Click HERE! PowerPoint is HERE

 

Accidents Investigations

An accident is an unplanned event.  It may or may not involve property damage or injuries.  Studies show that approximately 85% of accidents are caused by an unsafe act, the other 15% by unsafe conditions.

Accident investigation plays an important role in determining the true cause or causes of an injury, property damage, or a near-miss.  Once the cause(s) are identified then we can make changes to procedures and correct hazards to prevent future injuries or property damage of a similar nature.

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Safety Guidelines for Active Shooter /Workplace Violence

An active shooter/ hostile intruder is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area by any means including but not limited to firearms (most frequently used), bladed weapons, vehicles, or any tool that in the circumstance in which it is used constitutes deadly physical force.

In most cases, there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims. Most active shooter situations are unpredictable, evolve quickly, and are over within minutes.

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Hearing Protection – How Hearing Works

If you’re one of the twenty-million individuals that are subject to dangerous noise-levels on the work site, you will want to implement precautionary tactics to counter the danger of hearing loss.

You will want to be educated on how hearing functions and is measured.

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Carbon Monoxide and your Equipment

Be aware of the hazard when equipment is used inside of confined spaces, trenches/excavations, tanks, vaults and buildings where  dangerous levels of carbon monoxide (CO) can build up quickly.

CO is a poisonous gas that can cause nausea and dizziness. In high concentrations it can be fatal.

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From Head to Foot

Business reviews would seem to indicate that today Americans are spending more for clothing than any time in history.  This is in accordance with American standards, and to deny the advantages of being meticulous in dress would be an insult.

And yet, we take so much pride in the social aspect of our dress – what about the really important angle?  What about the manner in which we dress for work with safety in mind?

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